Interconvertible chair or table.



E. 0. STEELE. INTEEGONVERTIBLE CHAIR 0B. TABLE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5, 1911.

1,010,086. Patentd Nov. 28, 1911 WITNESSES.-

- D ATTORNEY.

'LVVENTOR:

EDWIN C. STEELE, 0F OXFORD,

INDIANA.

INTERGONVERTIBLE CHAIR 0R TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed January 5, 1911.

Patented Nov. 28, 1911. Serial No. 600,885.

To all whom it'may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN O. STEELE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oxford,'in the county of Benton and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Interconvertible Chair or Table, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to an article of the above-mentioned character that is adapted to be folded compactly, the invention having reference particularly to a chair back which is convertible into a table-top, and arms of the chair that are adapted to serve in assisting to support the table-top.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved interconvertible chair or table adapted to be cheaply constructed strongly and compactly and of light weight, a further object being to provide an article of the above-mentioned character that will not require the use of separate or detachable devices for connecting the parts of the article together in its various uses, an object being to provide a comfortable chair that may be quickly unfolded and set up either in the form of a chair or in the form of a table provided with a shelf, and adapted to be moved from place to place on the ground without the parts thereof becoming disarran ged, so that the article may be used on porches, lawns, or picnic grounds conveniently and advantageously.

With the above-mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consists in a folding interconvertible chair or table com-- prising improved supporting legs, folding arms, a back or top, a seat or shelf, and novel devices for connecting the several parts together; the invention consisting further in certain novel parts, and in the combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of the article set up as a chair; F ig.. 2, a perspective view of the frame.

article set up as a table; Fig. 3, a fragmentary central sectional view as at the plane of the line AA in Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a side ent figures of the drawings indicate like parts or features of construction herein referred to.

A practical embodiment of the invention comprises two crossed leg members 1 and 2 connected together between their ends by means of a pivot 3 and two similar leg members 1 and 2 connected together between their ends by means of a pivot 3, the members 2 and 2 extending upward farther than the members 1 and 1, so that their upper portions constitute frame portions to which the chair back is connected. A rung 4 is secured to the lower portions of the members 1 and 1 and a similar rung 4 is secured to the lower portions of the members 2 and 2. A rod 5 is secured to the members 1 and 1 somewhat above the pivots 8 and 3 and constitutes a tie-rod and also a supporting bar for the seat or shelf 6 which is suitably constructed and has its rear end portion pivoted to a rod 5 which is secured to the members 2 and 2 above the pivots 3 and 3, the seat having pivot holes 7 and 7 therein to receive the rod 5; said seat having also notches or recesses 8 and 8 in opposite sides thereof to receive the rod 5 when the seat is moved to normal position for use, the seat in such position serving to prevent pivotal movement of the leg members of the The upper portions of the shorter leg members 1 and 1 are provided with pivots 9 and 9 on which arms 10 and 10 are pivoted between their ends. The arrangement preferably is such that the members 1 and 1 are on the outer sides of the members 2 and 2, and the arms are on the inner sides of the members 1 and 1, so that the arms are in the same planes with the members 2 and 2'. Each arm has an oblique angle end 11 adapted to fit against the forward inclined side of the member 2 or 2, the opposite or forward ends of the arms being notched or cut out so as to provide projections 12 and 12 on their upper or forward portions adapted to be moved between the members 1 and 1, at the opposite sides of the seat 6 into engagement with the rod 5 so as to constitute leg member extensions for supporting one end portion of the table-top. A pair of links 13 and 13 are connected by means of pivots 14; and 14 to the upper portions of the members 2 and 2, respectively, and a back or top 15 is connected between its ends to the links by means of pivots 16, the links partially supporting the back in such a position as to permit the back to extend into contact with the rear sides of the members 1 and 1 below their pivots, the back preferably also being in contact with the rear end of the seat when set up as a chair. The back preferably is provided with pivots 18 relatively near the upper end of the back, and shackles 17 and 17 are thereby connected pivotally to the back and have hooks 19 and 19 embracing the upper end portions of the members 2 and 2, so as to securely hold the upper portion of the back to said members.

Preferably the oblique angled end portions of the arms 10 and 10 are provided with hooks 20 and 20 which are connected thereto by means of pivots 21 and 21, the hooks being on the inner sides of the arms and adapted to be connected with staples 22 and 22 secured to the inner sides of the members 2 and 2' at a suitable distance above the rod 5 so as to assist in preventing pivotal movementof the leg members and to prevent the arms from being tilted when the article is set up as a chair. The forward side of the upper portion of the back 15 has staples 23 and 23 secured thereto which are adapted to be engaged by the hooks when the arms are converted into leg extensions, and the back is moved so as to rest thereon as a table top, so that the end portion of the top that rests upon the extensions shall carry a portion of the chair frame or tablelegs when lifted, the opposite end portion of the table-top when lifted carrying the other leg members 2 and 2 by means of the links 13 and 13.

In practical use, as will be clear by referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the article may be set up as a chair with the arms arranged horizontally and firmly against the members 2 and 2 to which they may be hooked if desired, and the back 15 is firmly supported by means of the links and the shackles so that the occupant may lean in a comfortable position against the back without disarrangmg the several parts of the chair, and the chair is not liable to tilt backward. It will be understood that two of the articles may be conveniently used together, one as a chair and the other as a table, if desired. In order to convert the chair into a table the arms 10 and 10 are swung on the pivots until the projections 12 and 12 are brought into contact with the rod 5, and then the arms will stand uprightly as leg extensions by the force of gravity. The chair-back may be lifted slightly until the shackles are withdrawn from the upper ends of the members 2 and 2 and then the back may be swung over upon the leg members and placed as in Fig. 2, so as to form a table top which may be connected to the extensions by means of the hooks as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, so that the supporting legs may be carried conveniently by the table top. When not in use the article may be conveniently folded, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is;

1. In a folding chair, the combination with two pairs of leg members connected together, the upper portion of each of two of the members having a pivot thereon, and two links connected to the two pivots respectively, of a back pivotally connected to said links, pivots on the upper portion of said back, and shackles connected to the pivots that are on said back and removably connected to the upper end portions of said two 7 of said leg members in proximity to the pivots on said members.

2. In a folding chair, the combination of two pairs of leg members, a back, and a seat, one pair of the leg members being longer than and pivotally connected to and normally crossing the other pair of leg members, the back being linked to and also detachably shackled to said longer pair of leg members, the seat being mounted on the two pairs of leg members and cooperating therewith to assist in holding said leg members in crossed relation, arm members pivotally connected to said shorter leg members and cooperating with said longer leg members to hold said leg members in crossed relation, and devices movably mounted on the upper portion of said back and removably connected to the upper portions of said longer leg members.

3. In a folding table, the combination of two pairs of crossed leg members, one pair of said members being longer than the other and pivotally connected thereto, a rod connected to the pair of shorter leg members, a pair of arm or leg members pivotally connected between their ends to the upper portions of the pair of shorter leg members and normally extending upwardly and also extending downwardly to said rod, the lower end portions of said arm or leg members being recessed to receive said rod, a top nor- In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature mally resting upon said pair of longer leg in presence of two Witnesses. members and also upon said arm or leg members, devices detachably connecting said EDWIN STEELE top to said arm or leg members, and devices Witnesses:

movably connecting said top With the pair RALPH W. MoCoNNELL,

of longer leg members. W. D. REUTTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

